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All around us dry crispy leaves are falling from the trees. We can actually hear them hitting one another as they lazily float down to the gravel pathway like snowflakes. It smells like fall – even though it is officially 17 days away. It is sunny and warm – 26 degrees – as the three of us begin our walk around Stoney Creek Park in Burnaby. What will we see …

Across an expanse of tall grass a shaft of sunlight illuminates a section of a pacific crabapple. Its branches are laden down with fruit – an important, and nutritious, food source for many birds and creatures of the forest – such as squirrels and bears.

A flicker calls in the distance. Black capped chickadees flit in and out of the trees above, their merry chatter making us smile. To our left is a splash of mauve where a patch of thistle grows – it’s seed a favourite of the American Goldfinch.

On our right a spider has chosen the prefect location for its web – the end of the Great Salmon Send Off Bridge – right over a recent hatch of termites(?). They are crawling and flying everywhere, including right into the waiting spider’s web! No time is wasted as said spider runs over and quickly rolls and wraps its catch in a silky storage cocoon for later feasting. It is no sooner finished this task when yet another, and another, and another, unlucky visitor finds itself entangled in this sticky trap awaiting the kiss of death – oh my! Location – location – location … and the cycle of life continues.

To explore the the park with us, check out our calendar tab and look for bird watching. You are most welcome! Who knows what you will see ….

PS: A Crabapple – why not plant one of these magnificent trees in your own yard or suggest it as a planting in your apartment/townhouse complex. Its fragrant white to deep pink blossoms are a wonderful addition to any garden – and the birds will love you for it!